The Parliamentary dimension of the Netherlands EU Presidency

From January to June 2016 the Netherlands will hold the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The States-General will play a major role during this Presidency. In a press conference on Tuesday 24 November, the President of the Senate, Ankie Broekers-Knol, and her House of Representatives counterpart, Anouchka van Miltenburg, announced the conference dates and programmes.

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'Open exchange of information between parliaments'

As part of the Parliamentary dimension of the Presidency, The Senate and the House of Representatives will jointly organize a number of inter-parliamentary conferences. The aim of the conferences will not be to make decisions, but to have an open exchange of information between parliaments and seek to achieve more and improved cooperation within he framework of the Treaty of Lisbon. An estimated 1,000 parliamentarians are expected to attend the conferences.

Six conferences
Four of the conferences being organised by the States General are held every six months; the Parliament has chosen the theme of the other two conferences, based on their topicality and relevance. The Senate and House of Representatives are also responsible for the content of the conferences.

7 and 8 February 2016
The conference of chairs of the parliamentary committees for European Affairs of national EU parliaments (COSAC chairpersons' meeting), ; Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal)

17 February 2016
The interparliamentary conference on stability, economic coordination and governance
in the European Union, Brussels

13 and 14 March 2016
The interparliamentary conference devoted to the theme of human trafficking in the digital age, Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal)

3 and 4 April2016
The interparliamentary conference on the theme of energy, including aspects of
innovation and with a particular emphasis on the circular economy, 3 and 4 April, Hall
of Knights (Ridderzaal)

6, 7 and 8 April
The interparliamentary conference on Common Foreign and Security Policy and Common Security and Defence Policy of the EU (CFSP/CSDP), Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal)

12, 13 and 14 June 2016
The regular conference of the parliamentary committees for European Affairs of national EU parliaments (plenary COSAC conference), Hall of Knights (Ridderzaal).